Martinsburg daily gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1887-1887, 1887-03-25
INVESTIGATION RESUMED.
DAMAGING TESTIMONY IN THE tNvES-
TIGATloN or TIN BRIDGE.

TlGATiON OF TIN BRIDGE.
evidence That the Disaster Could Havs
Been Avoided-Ths Condition Of the
Bridge Described BY Numerous wit
nesses-- Company's Ohcials Warned.
BosTon, March %. The Bussey bridge in
vestigation was resumed at l0:45 yesterday
morning. Elias T. Bathorpe, Of Dedham,
who was in the third car Of the wrecked
train, testified that the first intimation he
had Of trouble was the bounding of the cor
over the sleepers, which continued until the
final crash, when the car stopped; he thought
the humping began about at the Dedham
end of the bridge.
Charles A. Harrington, of West Roxbury,
testified that he was in the rear end Of the
third car; the first he knew the front wheels
OF the car were of the rails to the left and
the rear wheels to the right, and were bump
ing along the sleepers. This was about one
third the way across the bridge; then in a
very few seconds the rear end of the car
seemed to sink SO that the passengers in the
front end were six feet higher thanswe were;
then there came crash right under US that
seemed to tear out part Of the fioor and then
the car dropped ON the bank beyond
He thought the forward end Of the car got
onto the bank and the crash underneath was
when the rear end struck the abutment and
was pulled upon it.
Julius Meyer, of Roslindlle, testified that
he was in the second car in the front seat,
he feltthe humping over the ties, then q
shock that threw him back into his seat
from which heshad arisen, and then there
wasas shooting into the air little and fall
onto the track.
Frank w. Williams, of West Roxbury,
testified that he was in the second car, and
knew when he got onto the bridge by the
sound; the shock was very sudden, as il the
!, train run against q stone wall and stopped
suddenly.
Master Mechanic Richards, recalled, testi-
fed that the rail on the easterly side of the
track overlapping from the bridge to the
Boston abutment was torn from its chain
and carried forward between the second and
first cars. 1t was this rail that gave The
heavy blow to the forward axle on the for
ward truck Of the second car, sweeping the
truck back and causing the shock described
by witness. There was nothing else found in
the wreck that could have given such q blow
Mr.. Richards here examined the pieces of the
broken bridge hangers which were taken by
the Engineering News and subsequently re-
turned to the commissioners, and said that
the welding was imperfectly done, as was
shown by the fracture. He thought it would
be difficult to tell whether the breaks were
new or old in the YIELDS, because they were
abrated and rusted since the breaking. In
response to questions, Mr.. Richards then
outlined his present theory Of the accident
based IN further examination of the broker
rain after his attention had been called to it
tiny theory is this, !" he said, the engine
broke the rail some distance from the abut
ment; the tender passed the break all right
but turned the end Of the broken rail some
what, SO that the trucks of the first car wers
divided and bent the rail up; the forward
truck Of the second car caught in the end d
the rail, causing the shock that swept tht
forward truck to the rear, checking that cal
SO that the third car telescoped it, and by thu
same shock breaking the bridge and causing
it's fall Continuing, Mr.. Richards said
that the end Of the rail had evidently shat
tered the forward brake beam ON the for
ward truck OF the second car, and then
struck the axle gouging a piece out Of it q,
turned; the rail was then torn from it
spikes by catching on the trucks, and wa
carried along to where it was found. In hi:
opinion the FlaborS on the axle was sufficient
to have caused all the damage and derail
ment but as that blow swept the track side
wise the force Of the blow might be so spent
when the first truck struck the second, tina
the latter could have carried trucks, rail
and ali along with it. AT this point til,
hearing adjourned until Friday at 1913
q. M, in order to allow Of the examination
at their houses of several Of the seriousl,
wounded who were in the fourth and fftI
cars.